MISSIONS, ITS WHAT WE DO

  Last week Paula and I hooked up the 5th wheel and headed 8 hours north to join the Carpenters Crew in Rosebud Texas. Beloved and Beyond is a ministry that holds week long camp for children and adults with disabilities. We built a 90 foot by 16 foot deck off the back of the dining hall, and a 60 foot wheel chair ramp up to the deck. We worked hard, but it was such a joyful experience, knowing that it will serve those that come.

   Last Saturday we held our monthly food outreach and Alan and Lynnea joined us for a few days, along with a team from Bastrop Christian Church in Texas on Saturday. A great worship time, word by Jaime, and food despensa.  

  We brought lunch to Melodys Orphanage after the outreach. Delicious fajitas! Alan and Lynnea haven't been here since they had children,  but helped in the building process years ago. 

   I'm still working on getting our paperwork done for last year's taxes. I'm such a procrastinator. I'm in December,  so almost done. 🤪  I took three pallets of beans that will make its way across the border to supply a huge food outreach to all the immigrants in Reynosa. 

WHATS CAN BE BETTER THAN A PHOTO WITH TRUMP?

  How about a photo with all the kids at Melodys Orphanage!!!! While Paula was in Illinois at Leas birthday party 🎉,  I was at the orphanage when they had thier photo shoot. It was a pleasure to see everyone with matching shirts and different colors. 

   Paula was able to be with the family and see a few friends while there. A surprise birthday party for Lea and her cousin Elizabeth on Saturday followed by a Chucky Cheese party on Sunday with many of her classmates.  I'm sorry I missed it!!

   Paula came home Monday night and Tuesday we went to Mexico 🇲🇽.  The girls had some nice Valentines Day decorations and a celebration for China's 🎂  birthday.  We left the colonia and stopped by Melodys Orphanage and gave all the girls a 🌹 rose. We stayed for a great meal later that night. 

    Yesterday I took a pallet of beans to Roma Texas and traded Pastor Silva for a pallet of Spanish bibles and a few cases of bibles in Russian. Ukrainian, and the Haitian languages. They are going to the immigrants in Reynosa that speak those languages. 

   Paula and I are going to Rosebud  Texas tomorrow to help on some building projects at a disabled kids camp. It's about 7 hours north of here and they have some RV hookups,  so we'll take the 5th wheel on its first trip in we'll over a year.

   We received a donation of a truck load of beans last week, just as we were down to two pallets of the last load.  God always provides.

SO MUCH HAS HAPPENED!!!

  2022 ended in Chiapas Mexico and we made it through another year. We  remained busy through January and I just returned from Florida after spending a week there with 6 other men. 

  Power Ministry came a few weeks back to hold thier morning devotions with us at the Community Center. A great time of worship and the Word. Several men bought quilts from Paula which was a huge blessing to her quilting class. 

   Several visits to Melodys Orphanage during the month. The kids are doing great, but we are still looking for a permanent place to buy for them. There's a go fund me page to raise money towards the purchase. Some visitors from Alabama have a passion to raise money. Moraine Valley Church in Palos Heights IL designated thier Thanksgiving offering for the orphanage as well.

   Paula went on a missions trip to Garcia Mexico 🇲🇽  with Handful of Purpose Ministries and saw over 100 children and adults accept Christ as thier Savior,  while I was enjoying fellowship with 6 guys in a huge rented house in Ft Lauderdale. We golfed a couple times, and had daily devotions and Bible study.  The highlight was lunch at Trumps Mar A Lago and a brief meeting with our former President Trump. What a bucket list check off. It wasn't even on my list. Thanks to our good friend Roger for hosting the whole week. 

   Back to reality this week!!!!

A GREAT WEEK OF MINISTRY

 First, we trust you all had A Merry Christmas.  Paula and I made it home from Chiapas Mexico 🇲🇽 on Friday, to some record cold 🥶. We made it through without any broken pipes.

  The week in Chiapas was awesome.  Over 1200 children received a backpack with toys or a soccer ball. The events took us over 2 hours into the mountains away from our Hotel. The indigenous people were very happy to see us. Paula and Marianne Chain fitted many with reading glasses and shared the Gospel with each one. Phil and I made the hot dogs 🌭 every day, while a couple guys cut hair, a few others shined shoes, the drama with puppets was presented to all the kids each day before the toys were given.

   The local pastors met us each morning and led us up the mountain to the villages. We gave each Pastor a nice offering before we left each day. The churches provided a meal for us each day after the events. I don't know how many people accepted Christ, but the were several. The pastors will follow up with those that made a decision. 

   Some of the people on the team have come down with the flu since returning. Phil and Marianne Chain are at a hotel a mile from our house. They didn't want to expose us. 

   Christmas Eve,  we attended Calvary Church in McAllen,  and then we went to Melodys Orphanage in Reynosa for fellowship, fun, songs and food. 

   Thanks for the prayers and support that make it all possible. This week we'll be holding several events in Mexico with Ricky Carol and the group of 40 that are coming on Wednesday. More gifts for the children of Mexico. 

AND WE'RE OFF

  Tomorrow morning Paula, China and I head to Monterrey to catch a flight to the state of Chiapas Mexico. Phil and Marianne Chain are already there putting the final touches on 4 events we'll be having next week. Over 1200 toys have been purchased,  soccer balls, dolls, toy trucks, candy and lots of other stuff. 

  Our Thanksgiving in Illinois was great.  Family, friends and partners in ministry. We were able to attend Moraine Valley Church twice while we were there which is so great to see everyone. Moraine is using they're Thanksgiving offering to support Melodys Orphanage. We also visited a few churches in Chicago who feed the homeless people there. 

  Once we arrived back home, Ricky arrived with his rented 27foot truck from Alabama full of backpacks and shoe box gifts for over 2000 kids. We unloaded it into our warehouse and got most of it across the border last week. He has 40 people coming the days after Christmas to give out all the gifts in Mexico 🇲🇽. 

   Our Sunday School Class had our annual Christmas Party last Saturday and they also chose Melodys Orphanage for their Christmas offering. Paula and I took all the cards to the Orphanage after church Sunday. They all gathered around as Jaime read each card to the kids. The cards all had $ in them, so they went shopping the next day. They were indeed blessed by the kindness of God towards them.

   Lea had her school musical the other day, and we were able to watch it live on the internet. She's so cute!

  Sooo, Have yourself a Merry little Christmas and a Happy New Year. 

   

GIVING TUESDAY??

  I never even heard of that 😕 until another missionary told me a few years back. I thought every day was an opportunity to share with those in need, oh well I digress. I know very few people that " live to give" and they seem to be the happiest and blessed people I know. We strive to be in that camp, and God willing,  we will grow more in the Grace of giving. It really is a Grace!!

   Paula and I were in Illinois for the last several days and I had the opportunity to join one of our supporters on a trip to his ministries in chgo. First stop, Uptown Baptist Church in Chicago. Roger bought 300 new winter coats and had them delivered there. He also funds several soup kitchens, where hot meals are served every week. We also stopped at Gethsemane Baptist Church in Chicago where meals are served 3 days a week. Roger has 2 other ministries that he funds as well, He Lives To Give.

  I'm in Oklahoma city where I had some dental work done yesterday. I'm almost done. The office that does the work, lives to give to missionaries in need of surgical implants and I'm grateful for all they have done for me, saving me thousands of dollars. 

  I could go on and on about the awesome people that have supported us, some for 15 years, every month, year after year ❤️. 

  So I guess there's a lot more people that live to give than I give credit for.  A special shout out to Moraine Valley Churches that decided to use their Thanksgiving offering to support Melodys Orphanage in Reynosa Mexico. I don't know how much was given yet, but God does and that He knows the needs and will supply.

  So it was a glorious time with family and friends in Chicago. We look forward to getting home and then packing up in two weeks to head to Chiapas Mexico with Phil and Marianne Chain and a few others to hand out thousands of toys to kids there, and present the Gospel to as many people as possible. 

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Blogger no longer forwards posts to your Email, you have to search for it.

  I didn't know that Blogger did that, but I'll post anyhow. Paula and I spent 1 week at Big Heart Orphanage in the mountains near Saltillo Mexico.  Wayne and Diane Kelly brought 3 other people to spend time with Pastor Alejandro and his family. Jaime Mayorga from Melodys Orphanage drove his van over to transport the group around. 

   The Pastor built a apartment above the church to eliminate paying rent on a house. It needs some work, so the team did what they could and left money to complete the work. The only Sunday we were there we attended the church, which I was able to lead in worship. They gave every family a bag of food before the festival in the street next to the church. 

  Hundreds of people came to enjoy the games and huge blow up jumping things.

   Paula and I left a day early to drive 600 miles to visit her family in Tejupilco. Her sister turned 90 and we had a great time with a lot of the family at a park. Paula's brother Fernando also came from Chicago to spend a couple weeks.  We were able to golf a couple times in the mountains nearby. Everyone that worked at the golf course was given a Bible before we left.

  We drove home Saturday and Sunday and are glad to be home, if even for a couple weeks. We'll be heading to Illinois for Thanksgiving.